Surgeon Lieut.-Commander Reginald Bennettasked the Minister of Transport what measures are in force to ensure that the Fawley oil refinery, and the tankers discharging there, do not empty their waste material into the Solent or Southampton Water; and what measure of supervision exists to ensure that such emptying does not take place.
§ Mr. BarnesAs I informed the hon. and gallant Member on 15th May, the discharge of oil into British territorial waters is prohibited by the Oil in Navigable Waters Act, 1922. In addition the local statutes and by-laws of the Southampton Harbour Board prohibit the discharge of oil, or tank or bilge washings, into the waters of the harbour. I am158W informed by the Board that the waters of the harbour are patrolled daily and that any cases of oil pollution are investigated at once.
I am also informed by the Anglo-American Oil Co. that at present ships bound for Fawley in ballast are required to clean tanks at sea not less than 50 miles from the nearest coast and to arrive with clean ballast. In the new refinery special equipment is being installed to receive waste oil or oily ballast ashore, and the new jetties will be provided with collecting pans to receive any possible minor leakage which might occur from the hoses or shore lines. The most modern facilities are also being installed to avoid pollution from any of the refinery effluents and a special organisation is. being provided to inspect all effluent streams and to ensure that pollution is avoided.